Would banning all offshore drilling in the US MATTER if all the nearby neighbors still do it?

[phleshdef]

I mean, environmentally speaking, just because we ban drilling in the areas we own, how are we any more or less protected from the risks that come with offshore drilling if its still happening off the shores of Canada, Mexico and South America?

I don't propose this question as an argument in support of more drilling. I'm just proposing it because its a reality we have to face.

[ret5hd]

1. Someone has to go first. Who do you suggest?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. Environmentally it would save/prevent vast amounts of damage on our local shores.

Which would be a huge plus.

It will never happen though. We're a selfish culture addicted to our petroleum products above all else.

[Oregone]

3. Depends if the other countries are ran by a bunch of "fierce free market advocates"

[drm604]

4. Less rigs would mean less chance of an accident.

So yeah, it would matter.

[The Straight Story]

5. There are 6000 wells in the gulf

I don't think they will be banned :)

[FBI_Un_Sub]

6. Try

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/06/here-comes-the-neighborhood/8093 by Chris Leineberger